UCLA researchers have developed photovoltaic cells with twice the energy-harvesting capacity of cells they developed in 2012. The cells, which can be processed to be transparent or in shades ranging from light green to brown, could be used to turn building windows, smartphone screens, car sunroofs, and other surfaces into sources of solar energy. (Source: UCLA)

On the otherhand, I had an allergic reaction to my cell phone about 10 years ago. The only time I had one since was when my daughter was about to have her most recent baby... She bought me a track phone with $10 worth of time on it and told me "it will ring someday soon... answer it cause it will be the baby". After that call I put that phone down like it was a rabid animal... by denying it electricity.

Recently, circumstances have dictated that I get over my distain for cell technology. I bought a base model at an airport when I was overseas in Nov 2012, and I now carry a StupidPhone® everywhere...

One thing that I am relearning is just how often they need to be charged (part of my original allergy BTW). If setting the phone on my desk, or a table in a well lit room would add say 5 to 10 minutes of life per hour of charge time... at that rate it will absolutely help. Even if it just maintained the charge during 'wait time'...

It may not be worth the added expense yet, but once the cost of the windows drop, or... if this was the only way to re-establish contact with emergency help in a disaster situation (I feel a short story idea coming on)...

Hi, Mydesign...yes, I think one day if this technology takes off and advances that will be true. It would be great also if it could actually mean a battery-less mobile phone, but that would probably be way far off in the future. Or maybe not, seeing as how fast technology moves these days!

I see your point, NadineJ, and agree windows are definitely a place where this technology could be utilized more. But for charging a cell phone itself I think this technology can be useful. I agree, though, mobile devices normally don't get too much sun and actually if they do, they don't like it much and overheat! If the mobile device technology could be suited for catching the sun better than this would really work.

It's pretty cool, isn't it, Ann? And if it actually works on devices, this could be a real game-changing technology. I find the work being done to create solar panels out of many unconventional things really exciting. It just makes perfect sense, too.

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